How to be CHIC: 5 tips to prep your closet for the (fabulous) new season

Have you started “the ordeal” of swapping out your Summer Wardrobe for your Fall Collection?

(Ok, how utterly amazing are the words “wardrobe” and “collection” when used with regards to your own closet?! I remember hearing my 7th grade Science teacher—a very chic woman in her mid thirties at the time—casually mention she felt “ready to bring out her Spring Collection” in response to our class’ comments about the weather. “Collection”. I love the ring to it!)

I know sorting through two seasons worth of clothes can be a bit painful; trust me, I get it. Temporarily, we have summer in our drawers and autumn on the chair, on the bed, on the floor. It’s a lot of life to take in all at once!

But this year, I’d love to challenge us both to take on the tedious with an attitude of gratitude instead. Or at least try. We really should! We’re privileged to enjoy the luxury of choice…and it’s so important to remind ourselves that the activities we view as chores are actually incredible opportunities to take stock and make mindful, chic choices.

I think of my seasonal swap as a two-part process.

Part one:

I aim to express my gratitude for the beautiful clothes that love me (by flattering my body, making getting dressed easy, and adding a touch of beauty to my everyday life). How do I say, “Thanks, Zara blazer”? By actually storing it properly! You know: hanging, folding, stacking, organizing…whatever the case may be for the type of item in question.

Personally, I love clear containers for belts and stockings, beautifully folded lingerie in top drawers, and a closet organized by: 1. Type of item (skirts together, blazers together etc.), then occasion/spirit (dressy/boho/minimal), then color). I’m also a closet organizing fanatic!

Common sense? YES! But I only mention it because I know how tempting it is when things get busy to just leave dresses in piles on the chair. I know. So does my chair.

But although it’s an extra step, holding myself accountable for my clothes helps me feel very CHIC (Confident, Happy, Inspired and Connected), because it makes it easier to put together outfits I love, while minimizing scrambling in search of shoes and stress. Stress isn’t CHIC. Getting dressed with a gorgeous smile is.

Part two:

As I start to swap out my clothes for the season, I’m taking the opportunity to verify that each piece loves and serves me (aka makes me feel great about my body and my life, right here and now). The pieces I love and love me back? Easy! That’s how fashion love should be! Fold, stack, hang however your heart desires. But really…we covered that in Part One. There would be no Part Two to this post if chic living were quite that simple.

Our lives are constantly changing: our bodies, our moods, our inspirations and the places we go and people we see are rarely exactly the same from one season to the next. Sometimes, things we thought we loved no longer serve us in the present. The trick to style success lies in recognizing when our love for a piece is (no longer) reciprocated. If I’m not sure if a piece still works for me, I don’t hang onto it and let it take up space in my life. Why? Because I could use that hanger for a dress I love instead, or gain a bit of clarity and “breathing room” in my closet. Much better.

So, I bring the “so-so” piece to The TEST.

MY TEST (for “So-So” pieces you just don’t know if you should keep):

Try on the piece you’re unsure about with your absolute favorite, most flattering basics.

I’ll slip on my favorite high quality ballerina flats, black high-heeled calfskin leather boots (an investment piece I find worth every penny), or a variety of fabulous heels (chosen depending on the style of skirt. I play around if necessary).

Try adjusting the silhouette to best reflect the most flattering shape for you.

I find waist-cinching styles work really well for me (lots of us, really!). So as part of THE TEST, I might I grab a skinny belt or a ribbon, and see if that sells me on the piece.

Is the “so-so” piece a bit plain? Enter luxe accessories.

Try pairing the piece with whatever you reach for most (this may or may not be the basic piece in step one).

For me, leather jackets are staples. Does the “so-so” piece fit with my look when topped with one of my beloved jackets?

Stop trying so hard. It doesn’t love you. Let it go. There are plenty of fish/dresses in the sea/shop.

If it’s just not meant to be, I’m absolutely ok with that. I either sell or give away this piece. Just because it’s not perfect for me doesn’t mean it can’t bring joy to someone else. (For the record: I have no qualms about buying consignment either)

As far as pieces that demand that we “change” before they can love us? Only you know the answer as to whether the “change” in question is going to happen and happen soon. Honestly, how much space in your life do you really want to allocate to “storage” anyway? I prefer to room for pleasure, for happiness in the moment, for love!

But you know all of this, or have head it all before. I just wanted to express some solidarity and love as we begin the seasonal-swap, and hoped to remind you that it doesn’t have to feel like such a drag. Make it joyful. Because you can.

Today’s Takeaway:

Think of your wardrobe as your “Fall Collection”. Instant CHIC.

Hang/store things with love and care. (Love what loves you, and remember, gratitude is the attitude!

Take “so-so/idk” pieces to THE TEST.

Adjust accordingly. Just because you bought it and it’s hanging in your closet, doesn’t mean it has to stay there. Make more room for chic. More love.